[Ebenezer]

“I have ever deemed it fundamental for the United States never to take active part in the quarrels of Europe. Their political interests are entirely distinct from ours. Their mutual jealousies, their balance of power, their complicated alliances, their forms and principles of government, are all foreign to us. They are nations of eternal war. All their energies are expended in the destruction of the labor, property and lives of their people.” —Thomas Jefferson

Brilliant quote, but that was before oil and nuclear weapons.

[Captain Kirk]

What does oil and nuclear weapons have to do with it? If anything, these new issues strengthens Jefferson’s insight about the futility of getting involved in foreign quarrels.